1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for preventing stacking connectors on boards from coming apart, and to an electronic device having this structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, for preventing stacking connectors on boards from coming apart due to shocks, vibrations and the like, structures have been known in the art wherein stacking connectors are retained by device housing or by cushion members that are disposed at required locations inside the housing. Also, JP-A-2001-126810 discloses stacking connectors comprising a locking mechanism which prevents the stacking connectors that are fitted together from moving in a direction in which one comes off from the other, as a means to prevent dislodgement.
However, the former approach involves wasted space that is not used to mount parts therein owing to the structure that retains the stacking connectors. For example, when cushion members are used, space between the stacking connectors will be filled up only with the cushions. The latter approach, on the other hand, has the drawback that it is necessary to provide special stacking connectors and to make an extra connection to ground, as will be later described.
A foldable radio communications device such as a portable telephone can be constructed using stacking connectors with a flexible printed circuit board interposed between a board for a liquid crystal display and a board for a keyboard. In this case, a connection is also made to ground in order to prevent the flexible printed circuit board from acting as a floating metal substance to adversely affect the antenna characteristics. This connection to ground is typically made by soldering of the flexible printed circuit board, a conductive tape or the like. But these are not desirable from the standpoint of working costs and workability. The conductive tape also has the problem that it cannot be reused.